Minimal Loss, Maximum Pain
by Traci
Summary: Post ep for Minimal Loss. Emily was beaten pretty badly but the three guys that had to hear it happen have to deal as well, especially her partner.


Disclaimer: Not mine, obviously. Characters, etc. belong to CBS, Criminal Minds and so on. I'm just borrowing them.

Rating: G

Summary: Post ep for Minimal Loss. Emily was beaten pretty badly but the three guys that had to hear it happen have to deal as well, especially her partner.

Author Note: I know neither Morgan nor Prentiss are overly emotional and are generally guarded so I took a little bit of a creative liberty but still tried to keep it mostly within character for both. And in my world he does call her Princess.

* * *

Minimal Loss, Maximum Pain

* * *

After sitting with Reid for a bit, Prentiss got up to get some water to take the next dose of pain medication with. She sensed Morgan's eyes on her as she walked to the back of the plane. She felt him come up behind her as she swallowed the second pill.

"How are you doing?" he quietly asked.

"I'm fine." She turned around to face him and cringed when he winced. "Really, I'm fine. It looks a lot worse than it is," she lied.

"Well it looks pretty bad."

She smiled at her partner. "You really know how to make a girl feel great about herself," she teased.

But he didn't smile in return and that scared her.

"We've still got a few hours," he told her. "Why don't you try to rest? Reid will be okay."

"Morgan…"

He shook his head and guided her to the couch, indicating if she didn't lie down on her own he would find a way to make her.

Too tired and too sore, she did as she was told and fell into a deep sleep soon after her head hit the pillow.

* * *

The team stepped off the plane, said their goodbyes and most headed home. Only Hotch, Rossi and Morgan stayed behind with Prentiss. Morgan had gone to get his car to drive her home.

"I really think you should go to the hospital," Hotch told her for the umpteenth time since they got her out of the compound.

She looked Hotch and sighed. "I really am fine. I just want to go home, get a shower and sleep for three days."

Hotch shook his head and finally gave up. "Alright." He smiled. "It's good to have you back." With that, he headed home to his son.

Rossi continued to stare at her and she knew he wasn't going to give up nearly as easily.

"Emily, he heard, hell, we all heard him beating you. That's not something any of us will forget for a long time. Hearing and not being able to stop it." His eyes spotted Morgan's car approaching. "There's only one person that was affected more than me or Hotch." He gave her a light hug then left just as Morgan approached.

She turned to her partner. "Thank you. I'll be honest, I'm not sure it would be safe for me to drive right now."

"You never have to thank me, Princess." He took her bag and led her to the car.

* * *

Morgan followed her up to her apartment with her travel bag as well as his.

Closing the door behind him, she said, "You don't have to stay with me. Really. I'm sure you'd be much happier in your own bed."

He stepped closer and put his hands on her shoulders. "I heard what he did to you. I can see what he did to you. You're stubborn. So since you won't get medical help I need to make sure you're truly okay. If only for my own sanity."

She bit her lower lip then softly said, "I can't imagine what it was like for you guys to have to hear that. I'm so sorry."

"Emily, you have nothing to be sorry for. You can thank Rossi for us not rushing in. Hotch and I were ready to go but he stopped us. It killed me." He gently reached up and lightly touched the bruise on her face. "I…" But his words stopped, too afraid of what he might say.

Prentiss smiled at him as she covered his hand with her own. "I'm here." They stayed like that for a few moments until a yawn from her brought them back.

"You go get your shower and I'll whip up something to eat," Morgan told her, grabbing her bag again and taking it to her bedroom.

"Mm, that sounds like an excellent plan."

Unfortunately the shower did not have the desired effect she had hoped. With her adrenaline dropping, the pain increased. Looking in the mirror she finally saw the full effects of the beating. She should tell Morgan but he was already taking the blame for her being beaten in the first place. A gentle knock on the bathroom door startled her.

"Emily?"

"Just getting dressed," she responded. She paused for a moment, slipped her t-shirt and pajama shorts on then opened the door to find him standing there waiting with worried eyes.

"What aren't you telling me?" he urged.

She knew he had gone through hell. They both had. She was terrified when the building exploded with him and Reid still inside. She owed it to him to trust him. "There's more bruising than I realized and… and my ribs are a bit more sore than they should be for simple bruising."

He immediately went to lift her shirt out of concern but realized what he was doing and whom he was doing it to and stopped but she nodded and lifted the shirt for him.

Biting back a gasp, inside he was grateful the cult leader was dead because it saved him having to do it. Her entire torso was black and blue. "Oh, Emily. You need to have that looked at." His eyes met her, pleading. "There may be internal bleeding."

She smiled. "We both know I would have known by now." She swayed a little and Morgan immediately got hold of her. "I think there may be a small concussion going on as well."

"Let's get you to bed."

Once he had her settled in, he left and returned with a small cup of soup. "I figured you weren't in the mood for anything much more than this," he said, holding the cup as she took small sips.

"It's perfect. Thank you, Derek."

When she had finished, Morgan stood up. "I'll be right on the couch if you need anything."

With a small smile and yawn, she nodded and was asleep before he left her room.

* * *

Prentiss glanced at her clock. Four thirty was definitely too early to be awake. She closed her eyes again when she heard the shouting that had woken her in the first place. Painfully climbing out of bed, she ran to her living room where Morgan appeared to be in the middle of a nightmare. Judging by the fear and anger in his voice, he was dreaming of a very different outcome from her beating.

"Derek!" she called to him, keeping a safe distance until he was fully awake. "Derek, wake up!"

As predicted, he reached out to hit whoever was calling him then his eyes slowly opened and focused as she approached him.

Kneeling beside the couch, Emily took his hand in hers. "I'm right here."

He just stared at her.

"It was only a nightmare, I promise you," she continued.

Morgan reached out and gently ran his fingers over the bruise on her cheek.

"Derek, I wouldn't have done anything different and you know it."

He nodded. "I know. I wouldn't have either. It's our job but it's a part of the job I hate."

She smiled at him. "I'm not too fond of being on the receiving end of it either."

"I'm sorry I woke you."

"Hotch sent me a text a little while ago ordering me to stay home for the next three days so I'm sure I'll be getting plenty of sleep."

"Uh oh."

Emily joined him on the couch and tilted her head at him. "Uh oh?"

"A bored Emily Prentiss is a dangerous Emily Prentiss," he grinned.

She laughed then winced when it hurt but couldn't stop from laughing. He soon joined her in laughter.

This wasn't the first time one of them would be in danger and it certainly wouldn't be the last but for now they survived yet again. It was enough.


End file.
